Roman Reigns Speaks out for First Time Since WWE Raw Leukemia Announcement
Roman Reigns took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to thank all of his fans and fellow wrestlers [...]
Roman Reigns took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to thank all of his fans and fellow wrestlers who reached out to him following his announcement that he had been diagnosed with leukemia.
"Thank you to everyone who's reached out...I can't put into words what it means to me," Reigns wrote. "Your energy and positivity motivate me to get better quickly to get back in the ring, but for now I'm going to spend time with my family and focus on health. Thank you - Joe/Roman."
Thank you to everyone who’s reached out...I can’t put into words what it means to me.
Your energy and positivity motivate me to get better quickly to get back in the ring, but for now I’m going to spend time with my family and focus on health.
Thank you - Joe/Roman
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) October 23, 2018
Reigns opened Monday Night Raw this week with the heartbreaking announcement that he had been battling the cancer for the last 11 years, and that it had recently come back after going into remission in late 2008.
"...My real name is Joe and I've been living with leukaemia for 11 years and unfortunately it's back," Reigns said. "And because the leukaemia is back I cannot fulfil my role. I can't be that fighting champion and I'm going to have to relinquish the Universal Championship."
Reigns had been Universal Champion since August when he defeated Brock Lesnar at the SummerSlam event. His reign officially ended at 64 days on Monday night.
The former world champion assured the fans in attendance that he would not be gone forever.
"But I want to make one thing clear, by no means is this a retirement speech," Reigns said. "Because after I'm done whooping leukemia's ass once again I'm coming back home. And when I do, it's not just going to be about titles and being on top, no it's about a purpose. I am coming back because I want to show all of you, the whole world, I want to show my family, my friends, my children and my wife, that when life throws a curve ball at me, I am the type of man that will stand in that batter's box, I will crowd the plate, I will choke up and I will swing for the fences every single time. Because I will beat this and I will be back and you will see me very, very soon."
Since his announcement, wrestlers from both in and out of the WWE have posted messages to Reigns on social media with the hashtag "Thank You Roman."
